Five shortlisted designs for a national memorial to Queen Elizabeth II, ranging from a bronze Windsor oak to tranquil royal gardens, have been unveiled.
The proposals, unveiled as part of an online public exhibition, offer diverse ways to commemorate the late Queen's life and reign.
One concept envisions a bronze cast of a Windsor oak tree, symbolising strength and longevity. Another proposes a vast canopy of stone lily pads, creating a unique architectural space for reflection.
A more traditional approach features a statue of Queen Elizabeth II alongside her late husband, Prince Philip.
Further ideas incorporate modern elements, such as audio installations featuring recordings of the Queen's voice.
Another design draws inspiration from Georgian architect John Nash, proposing romantic royal gardens offering a "forest bathing" experience in an urban setting. A "graceful and strong" stone bridge with cascading water is suggested as a symbolic link between eras.
The designs are currently illustrative, with a sculptor to be appointed later. The public can view the proposals and offer feedback until May 19 via the online exhibition managed by Malcolm Reading Consultants.
This feedback will play a crucial role in shaping the final memorial.
The Queen’s former private secretary Lord Janvrin, chairman of the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee, said: “Queen Elizabeth II’s extraordinary life of service profoundly touched countless individuals, and she was a figure of great respect and admiration.
“Memories of her long reign are still fresh for so many of us and we need to capture the essence of them for future generations.”
Lord Janvrin added: “In recognition of this, it is only fitting that we invite the public to express their views on these design concepts.
“We are delighted to be working with some of the best architects, artists and designers in the world to produce a landmark memorial of outstanding beauty that celebrates and honours the life of Queen Elizabeth II.”
Hailed as one of the most significant design initiatives in modern British history, the memorial in St James’s Park, close to Buckingham Palace in the heart of London, will provide the public with a permanent memorial to the country’s longest-reigning monarch, who died in 2022.
A panel of committee members will select the winning concept and work with the team on the final design, which is expected to be unveiled in 2026, which would have been the late Queen’s 100th birthday year.
The committee will also select an artist, through a separate process, to create a figurative representation of Elizabeth II for the site on The Mall in central London.
What are the five shortlisted Queen memorials?
The five design concepts are:
1. A “tranquil family” of royal gardens inspired by John Nash’s original landscape of the park, linked by a natural stone tessellated path by Lord Foster of Foster + Partners with artist Yinka Shonibare, ecologist Professor Nigel Dunnett and landscape architect Michel Desvigne Paysagiste.
Other elements include a statue of the Queen alongside Philip on Birdcage Walk next to a Prince Philip Gate and, on the other side of the park, an equestrian statue of the Queen in a new civic space called Queen Elizabeth II Place at Marlborough Gate.
The plans also incorporate a contemporary wind sculpture for reflection, audio installations of the Queen’s voice, a digital conservatory and a translucent Unity Bridge.
2. Bridge of Togetherness – A memorial walk inspired by the idea of “togetherness” with 70 lily pad stepping stones by Heatherwick Studio with sculptor and ceramicist Halima Cassell, MRG Studio, Webb Yates and Arup.
At the centre of the bridge is a limestone sculpture of the late Queen, whose childhood nickname was Lilibet, protected by a giant canopy of eight carved sculptural lily pads, with the stone chosen because it will “age with dignity”.
3. An innovative stone bridge over soil, tree roots and water, featuring a gentle cascade of water onto the lake, to represent the late Queen as the bedrock of the nation has been designed by J&L Gibbons with production designer Michael Levine, and William Matthews Associates.
It aims to capture a “meandering flow of geology carrying people through an ephemeral choreography of blossoming and colour beneath the high tree canopy” and includes glades to invite “forest bathing in the heart of the city”.
4. The Queen’s Oak – An exact bronze cast of an “awe-inspiring” ancient oak from Windsor Great Park, representing the late Queen’s strength and endurance and symbolising the monarchy, is the central focus of a design by Tom Stuart-Smith with Jamie Fobert Architects and artist Adam Lowe of Factum Are.
The digitally scanned replica tree would stand on a plinth in the lake, with a curved stone bridge as a viewing platform.
There would also be a serpentine memorial path, for all ages and abilities, which incorporates inlaid bronze casts of significant objects from the late Queen’s life and a “sonic soundscape” of memories from those she impacted.
5. A thread of pathways and landscapes “gently woven through the natural fabric” of the park with a pair of “elegant bridges” have been suggested by WilkinsonEyre with artists Lisa Vandy and Fiona Clarke.
Aiming to impose the “lightest footprint” on the park, the thread, with symbolic spaces for reflection, focuses on seven themes of the late Queen’s life – reign, faith, Commonwealth, values, nature, family, and Prince Philip.
The final design will be submitted to the King and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for approval.
The proposed designs are available to view at competitions.malcolmreading.com/queenelizabethmemorial/gallery
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